Five players get US scholarships at AEE basketball camp

The third edition of the Ajayi Elebire Elites Basketball Camp was concluded on Tuesday at the Ilupeju Basketball Court in Lagos, with five players awarded scholarships to higher institutions in the United States.

The camp, which featured 60 players and 15 coaches, was established by former D’Tigers player Olalekan Ajayi in memory of his late father, Babatunde Elebire Ajayi, who passed away in 2020.

The initiative aims to give back to the society that supported Ajayi and to address issues like poverty, social immobility, and unemployment.

Ajayi has already facilitated the movement of 10 players to the United States from the first two editions of the camp, with the newly selected five players set to join them soon.

“A whole state does not have two, three outdoor places where you can say you want to run a camp to give back to the community,” Ajayi said.

“That’s despicable. So I came to Lagos. Lagos is my second home. Ekiti is my first home. So that’s why I brought the camp back here, where it started from. And then the scholarship is going to be given to Lagosians.

“You know, I mean, if Ekiti State does not have a court, I have to give it to the people that are ready; heaven help those who help themselves.”

Godwin Owingie, a scout for the Brooklyn Nets and co-founder of Giants of Africa, praised Ajayi’s efforts and the camp’s impact.

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